WEDDING · GUESTS
Fritzi Eimers
Founder of Kreativfreunde · November 2026 · 7 min
Wedding guest activities: 12 ideas for every stage of the celebration
Wedding guests mainly need something to do during the waiting periods: at the drinks reception, while you're having your photos taken, between courses and before the first dance. The activities that work best are the ones nobody has to join, but everyone can.
Photo: wildwedding.eu
Contents
When do wedding guests need something to do?
A wedding has more downtime than you'd think. That's exactly where activities help that are simply there and don't force anyone.
and photo shootYou're at your photo shoot, your guests are already raising a glass.
coursesThe breaks drag on, and people at the table barely know each other.
party startsDinner is over, and there's still time before the first dance.
for childrenSpeeches and courses feel endless to little ones.
Who are wedding activities worthwhile for?
For almost every wedding. But especially if one of these four situations applies to you:
Photo: wildwedding.eu
Mixed guest lists. Two families, lots of friendship groups, hardly anyone knows each other. The activity is the icebreaker.
Families with children. Little ones need their own programme, and their parents will thank you for it.
Big weddings. Lots of programme and lots of downtime in between. One or two stations fill the gaps.
Small gatherings. Less programme, but one shared moment everyone will talk about later.
What makes a good activity for wedding guests?
Guests' biggest worry: having to perform something in front of everyone. Good activities take exactly that fear away.
Which activities suit the drinks reception?
1. Lawn games
Games on the lawn almost always work, and anyone who doesn't want to play is happy to watch. Our favourite is Mölkky*, the Finnish throwing game made of birch wood: explained in a minute and exciting right up to the last throw. Next to it stands a giant “Jenga”*: block by block it gets wobblier, and when the tower falls, the whole lawn cheers.
* Affiliate link to Amazon
Tip: No lawn at the venue? No problem. Mölkky and giant “Jenga” work just as well on gravel, paving or the terrace.
Photo: einherz Fotografie
2. Retro candy bar
Large glass jars, colourful lollipops and little bags to fill yourself, just like at the corner shop back in the day. It looks truly retro with a sweet dispenser with compartments*, plus a lollipop stand* as an eye-catcher. Small personalised stickers on the bags make it even nicer. And who says sweets have to come in a bag? Colourful sweets in champagne coupes look at least as good on the bar. Children love it, the grown-ups get nostalgic, and the bag doubles as a guest favour.
* Affiliate link to Amazon
3. Guest Wall to design
Guests stamp their message onto a metal tag and hang it on your wall. The tapping makes people curious, a little crowd quickly gathers around the station, and after the celebration the Kreativfreunde Guest Wall hangs in your home.
What do guests do between courses?
4. Question cards
Small cards on every table get the conversation going, even at tables where nobody knew each other before. The classic is questions about you: Where did you meet, who said “I love you” first? Even more fun comes from ready-made game cards with little tasks*: each guest draws a card, for example with the task of taking a photo with the couple or getting to know someone from the next table. Everything is optional, nothing is embarrassing, and by the end of the evening it feels like everyone has talked to everyone.
* Affiliate link to Amazon
5. Song requests
Guests write their favourite song on a card for the band or DJ. These song request cards* look especially lovely on the tables. That way, the music later on is something everyone really dances to. And you'll find out along the way which song your aunt hasn't been able to get out of her head for thirty years.
* Affiliate link to Amazon
Tip: Want to get into the wedding mood already? Then have a listen to this wedding playlist on Spotify .
6. A camera for the guests
Instead of disposable cameras on every table, one camera is ready in a fixed spot. I got myself this digital camera without a screen*: it feels like a disposable camera, but the photos are saved to the memory card. Because there is no screen, nobody can delete anything either. So it's the crooked, unplanned shots that stay.
* Affiliate link to Amazon
Which activity works in the evening?
7. Shared time capsule
Guests write a letter to your future selves, guess where you'll live in ten years or who will go grey first, and add small mementos. Everything goes into a metal time capsule* that is sealed watertight and that you only open on your fifth or tenth wedding anniversary. In the evening, the station is a calm counterpoint to the dance floor, and years later you'll be sitting on the sofa laughing as you read what your guests thought of you back then.
* Affiliate link to Amazon
Photo: wildwedding.eu
8. Short dance class
Five minutes of disco fox or basic steps with a dance teacher. It gets even reluctant dancers onto the floor before the party starts. Ideally right after the first dance, when everyone is standing around the dance floor anyway. Afterwards, even the uncle who never dances suddenly gives it a go.
9. Glow sticks instead of sparklers
Sparklers look great, but they are risky. One spark is enough to burn a hole in an expensive dress. I speak from experience: at one wedding I ruined a floor, and in the end my liability insurance had to deal with it. Since then, I've recommended two more relaxed alternatives: classic glow sticks* that you simply snap and hand out, or LED light wands* that you can use again after the wedding. During the first dance or at midnight, they make for the most beautiful photos of the evening.
* Affiliate link to Amazon
How do you keep children busy at a wedding?
10. Puzzle and colouring corner
I have two children myself and I know: speeches can feel really long for little ones. A table of their own saves many a moment. Instead of classic colouring books, I recommend these sweet wedding puzzle books with coloured pencils*. Important: coloured pencils, not felt tips, or the tablecloth will end up colourful. My tip for extra motivation: whoever finishes their book first gets to go to the candy bar first 😉
* Affiliate link to Amazon
11. Bubbles
Bubbles cost little, delight all ages and look wonderful in photos. But be warned: for me there is only one true bubble, and that is Pustefix* with the blue bear. Many cheap bubbles leave stains, and nobody wants those on a wedding dress or suit.
* Affiliate link to Amazon
Photo: ksuttonphoto
Photo: Pexels
12. Treasure hunt
Small tasks around the venue, with a surprise waiting at the end. Older children love leading the little ones, and the parents can eat in peace. Little bags from the candy bar or bubbles for everyone make great treasure. It's loveliest when the last station ends with the couple.
Tip: Plan five to six stations with pictures instead of text, so children who can't read yet can join in too. One adult as a point of contact is enough.
From Kreativfreunde
Activity and guest book in one
The Guest Wall is an activity and a keepsake at the same time. Wall in white, black or oak, 36 to 120 tags, with your names if you like. The tools come as a rental kit and go back free of charge. From 299 €.
From Kreativfreunde
One more thing for the programme?
With our keyrings, every guest designs their own guest favour, using a hammer and letter stamps right at your celebration. Guest favour and programme highlight in one. Together with the Guest Wall, just 3 € each.
Frequently asked questions
How do I keep guests entertained at a wedding?
Plan an optional activity for every waiting period: lawn games or an interactive station such as the Guest Wall for the drinks reception, question cards for between courses, a time capsule or glow sticks for the evening and a corner for children.
Which wedding games aren't embarrassing?
Anything that is optional and doesn't put anyone on the spot. That's why interactive stations usually go down better than games on stage.
How many activities does a wedding need?
Two to three are enough: one for the drinks reception, one for the evening and something for children.
Which activities work in the rain too?
Anything that fits indoors: candy bar, time capsule, guest camera, Guest Wall, question cards and the puzzle corner for children. Lawn games and bubbles are better suited to dry weather.
How do I keep children busy during the ceremony and speeches?
With quiet activities at their seats: puzzle books with coloured pencils, small books or stickers. Noisy games like bubbles or a treasure hunt are better saved for the breaks afterwards.
About the author
Fritzi Eimers
Fritzi founded Kreativfreunde together with her brother Benni after building a guest wall for her own wedding in 2019. Today she and her team create keepsakes for weddings, birthdays and company celebrations.
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